Home Office considers new laws to combat cyber stalking

The Home Office is considering adding stalking, including cyber stalking to existing harassment laws.

It has set up a 12-week online consultation process and has asked the public, charities and victims to contribute their views on the problem.

Stalking and particularly cyber stalking is a growing problem. According to last year's British Crime survey, more than one million women and nearly the same number of men (900,000) are reported stalking incidents in the UK, so the government department has set up an online consultation.

The charity Protection Against Stalking said however that two-thirds of victims who reported incidents to the police, told it they had found the authorities including the Crown Prosecution Service did not take this offence seriously.

In June this year, a cross-party investigation by MPs and Peers began looking at reforming stalking laws and the case for revising the Protection from Harassment Act (1997). The investigation paid special attention to bullying and harrasment carried out online and by mobile phone text message, commonly referred to as cyber stalking. Many campaign groups believe this area is not substantially covered by existing legislation.

With the online Home Office consultation people can contribute their views about the issue, including how best to tackle the crime and provide protection for victims. The Home Office said it was "particularly interested in hearing from those with direct experience - victims, police and the courts."

Launching the online consultation, Minister for Equalities and Criminal Information, Lynne Featherstone said: "Stalking is an issue which profoundly affects many lives, often in devastating ways.

"That is why we included stalking as a priority in our report ‘Call To End Violence Against Women and Girls', last autumn. And that is why we followed this up with specific actions to improve our response to this issue this spring.

"That is also why I am launching this consultation to ask for your views on how we can protect victims of stalking more effectively."

The consultation will close on 5 February 2012